The Kenpo Filter to put it simply is the complete study of motion within the individual students level of understanding of the different concepts and principles involved in Kenpo.  Sounds easy enough doesn't it?  Well, if only everything in Kenpo was as easy as it sounds on paper.  So now we'll go a little deeper and really dive into this concept, then we'll discuss the tough stuff.  This aptly named concept was developed from several self-defense techniques, weapons study, and various physical conditioning theories and practices.  The idea is to take various motion theories, principles, any information out there really, put it through a filter to derive the important material that will be useful to the student, and apply the filtered information to the activity.  Once again, the Kenpo Filter concept has been named this way because we study Kenpo, so it seemed to fit.  However, the concept will work in any form of the martial arts with the idea of perpetually refining the information they have readily available.  The graphic above is the visual reference we at Dragon Tales, Martial Fusion, and the surrounding Kenpo studio's use to better define this point;  and it makes a fine logo for Martial Fusion and elsewhere.  The diamond filtering sections are as follows, the top section for Empty-Hand concepts, middle left is for Blunt Weapons concepts, middle right for Edged Weapons training, and the bottom is for Physical Conditioning methods.

        Now here are some examples of how Kenpo Filter works.  Some are already derived from American Kenpo from the works of SGM Ed Parker as more of a descriptive analogy, others are a continuation and definition of the Kenpo Filter.  Take the Kenpo self-defense techniques Five Swords, and Flashing Mace.  In their "as is" state they are written for one opponent with a specific attack.  However, change the initial attack to a two man defense technique, filter through some specifics on the attack like one attacker punches you, the other grabs you on the shoulder, add some extra motion both offensively and defensively at various stages of the two techniques, and you now have a new technique which some of us know as Ram and the Eagle.  Really, when you think about it, most of the self-defense techniques have this element.  Take Alternating Maces, change the attack to a Roundhouse Club Attack, filter through some different motion concepts, and there you have it, Calming the Storm.  With sets and forms you have a little less involvement with the Kenpo Filter, only with regards to the deciding factors on attacks, defensive and offensive tactics, and the motion principles and concepts the sets and form were designed to explore.

        Sure, we know that these are examples of what Mr. Parker and others around him created, and fine examples of the use of inserting, prefixing, suffixing, and other concepts we should all know and love.  So what makes the Kenpo Filter different then anything else we have in Kenpo.  Well, nothing really.  As it was mentioned before, this is simply an analogy to make things easier to understand for the student.  Kind of a "I'll help you see the forest through the trees" exercise.  Thought I'd digress a little before getting to the good stuff.  Sure the Empty Hand information with the Kenpo Filter on it's own is good, but the real meat n' tater's is in the Weapons Training and Physical Conditioning.  Truth be known, all of the sections of the Kenpo Filter can intermingle and connect with each other if you will, and at the same time separate in different concepts altogether.  The Weapons Training aspects are a perfect example of this eclectic analogy.  Given that we in the AKKI have a great deal of training material now with Kenpo Clubs and Knives, it is slightly easier to see the relation between empty-hand concepts and weapons training.  While they are similar, they are different at the same time.

        Since we at Dragon Tales don't like rehashing information that is out there, we'll take a different example for explanation.  Most of us at Dragon Tales like to train in many different concepts and motion theory that may not be prevalent in American Kenpo because we believe in keeping an open mind and are naturally inquisitive.  During such training a few of us decided to work with Staff and Sword training methods utilizing the Kenpo Filter analogy.  Those of us who decided to dive into these two non indigenous weapons took the empty-hand motion concepts within American Kenpo such as stances, positioning, range, economy of motion, and so on, and combined them with edged weapon concepts such as proper cutting paths of action, filleting, and so forth, and began analyzing them.  Current and previous concepts were also utilized in this canalization such as mapping the IKKA Staff Set information, and studying many of the surviving sword methods of execution utilized by Eastern, European, and other practitioners.  All of this was put through the Kenpo Filter to single out only those motion principles needed for the task at hand and developed into the Staff and Sword information we currently train with.  And in passing to digress a little bit more, there is another example of what the Kenpo Filter analogy is trying to get across to the student.  While we don't really advocate the use of the Nunchuku for the smart self-defense student (regardless of whether we have trained with them, you know, do as we advise not as we have done), there is a book on the market by SGM Ed Parker called Ed Parker's Guide to the Nunchuku which is quite handy.  In fact, it is probably the best and most realistic book on the subject on the market.  The books purpose is to take the Nunchuku and make it a viable self-defense tool for the Kenpoist.  Thought I'd throw that out there for everybody who might not know of it.

        Finally, and this is our favorite part, the use of the physical conditioning section of the Filter for Kenpo students.  A couple of our more internet savvy cohorts were reading on the internet that physical conditioning involving Kenpo should be doing more Kenpo.  While that is correct, there are benefits under further scrutiny that can't be overlooked.  We all understand the weight training can aid with empty-hand grappling, while stretching and speed drills effect other aspects, and training specifically with practice weapons will aid in the function of weapon based motion, and so the list goes on.  Yet, even something as generally un-useful in self-defense as high or jump kicks can be useful to the student in physical conditioning.  While different folks have a different view on high and jump kicks, within Kenpo it is widely known high kicks can have dire consequences and as one of our more articulate and practical associates will attest with jump kicks "ya, like you are going to jump off of a horse any time soon," (it's an inside joke by the way).  However, for stamina and agility training these work  incredibly well to not only raise the level of your kicking flexibility, but also to increase the amount of time you can throw kicks.

        Then there's the Tai Chi angle in physical conditioning.  It has been said that Tai Chi is one of the more dangerous martial arts out there because the lack of speed and general flow of the motion used enables the student truly study what they are doing, and utilize the maximum amount of force with the least amount of effort.  There are also many physical benefits to the use of Tai Chi.  Through the analogy of the Kenpo Filter, and one of SGM Parker's quotes, "Slow to Learn, Slow to Forget," we can take the Tai Chi concepts and put them into motion for Kenpo Students.  Take forms and sets, even self-defense techniques, put them through the Kenpo Filter, and add Tai Chi, and the concepts that make Tai Chi work can be applied to Kenpo for it's students.  This technically goes beyond simply slowing Kenpo down to Tai Chi's pace, but that is the most important part of the Filter, self-exploration within the Martial Arts.

        More information will be arriving on this subject at another time, feel free to continue checking back for updated information.